Sam Gagner's Rank Among Under-21 Players

Sam Gagner is a marvelous player.  He was brought into the NHL early by a management team that needed a good story or three, and despite playing on some terrible teams, he's making his way towards hockey manhood.  Gone are the no-look drop passes to the opponent for a one-on-none breakaway in overtime.  Gone is the fancy play, the extra pass, the idea that cute can beat the speed and brute force of players in the NHL.  Instead Gagner now takes to the boards to win a battle, makes the simple play to move the puck out or up the ice, and is slowly learning when he can unleash what's become a surprisingly effective half-slap shot.

Though his traditional stats have seemingly stagnated, we've previously demonstrated that his underlying stats are moving in the right direction.  His Corsi is progressing nicely, as are his scoring chance totals.  He turned 21 only a month ago, yet he's already played in 223 NHL games and tallied 131 points.  For as much hype as the incoming big three are receiving, much of the Oilers' immediate and long-term future still rests on the shoulders of Sam Gagner.

How big of a deal is it that Gagner has played in 223 games before turning 21?  Below is a list* of the top fifty forwards measured in games played under the age of 21 in NHL and WHA history.  (The WHA did not have the same teenage restriction as the NHL when both leagues were up and running.)

*Table is sortable, click any header to sort by that column.

Gagner places 22nd all-time in games played by players under the age of 21.  It's impressive company - the names on the list read like a who's who of hockey since 1980.

What about those stagnating traditional stats?  Below is another sortable table of the top fifty forwards measured by points scored under the age of 21.

Gagner is 39th by this measure, and once again, the players in front of him made up the guts of the 80s and 90s All-Star teams.

Gagner's points per game suffer, but Jonathan Willis has shown that Gagner suffers because of era effects, and the aforementioned team effects.  Gagner has also yet to benefit from the power play like others on the list.  Steven Stamkos played 80% more than Gagner with a man advantage.  Patrick Kane played nearly 25% more than Gagner.  Sidney Crosby played more than twice the amount of power play time as a 20-year-old.  Vincent Lecavalier played nearly 2.5 times more on the power play at age 20.

As Gagner enters his fourth season, he's set to play a bigger role for the Oilers at both even strength and on the power play.  His underlying growth curve looks great, and in Tom Renney, the Oilers have a tactician in the mold of Craig MacTavish, one who should find opportunities to take advantage of competition and starting positions, especially for a center like Gagner.  With his pedigree and a step forward this season, Gagner is set to be a cornerstone in Edmonton for the next decade.

Stats courtesy Gabriel Desjardins and Behind The Net Hockey.